Blandford Cycles

I recall seeing a slick & detailed blueish bike parked in NW Portland years ago. The craftsmanship behind those smooth filet brazed joints gave the frame a seamless look like a single molded piece of steel. I wasn't as versed in steel bikes as I am nowadays, let alone know what filet brazing was back then; all I knew was that I was hooked. After chatting with Chris Blandford, I realized it was his bike that I admired back then and perhaps the frames that helped steer me into the steel side of the cycling world.

The craftsmanship that Chris possesses is generational, passed down from his grandfather, who was a craftsman and an inventor. Drawing inspiration from his grandfather and Chris's design background, he began fabricating bikes that matched his high level of craftsmanship and design. Simple yet complex, when you look closely at the details, you realize that much, if not all, of the small pieces are fabricated by hand. Why? It is a standard that Chris sets for himself, one that reaches a level where art meets fabrication.

Watching over the shop from the bookshelf is his grandfather’s welding mask and his machinery handbook, as pictured below, both in spirit, and inspiration.